The battle for the Arizona GOP

12/14/12 5:02 PM EST

Seeing Red AZ, a conservative Arizona blog, chronicles the latest endorsements won by Robert Graham, a businessman and former candidate for governor who is seeking to oust Arizona Republican Party chair Tom Morrissey.

Morrissey, one of a handful of tea party activists who knocked off establishment picks to win state party chairmanships after the 2010 elections, has been criticized for his lack of fundraising and for the Arizona GOP's unimpressive 2012 performance in congressional and legislative elections.

In the ongoing debate over the future of the Republican Party, much attention has been focused on the assessments, recalibrations and talk of reform occurring in Washington. But the next GOP, whatever form it takes, is largely going to be forged at the state and local level through elections like these where tea party, establishment and/or Ron Paul factions battle for supremacy.

In Arizona, ideology is only a minor part of the conflict – fundraising and the execution of the basic blocking and tackling of politics appears to be the central issue.